The GreenVETAfrica Project, co-funded by the European Commission, held its final project event on November 14 in Lagos, Nigeria. The workshop featured presentations to policymakers and industry stakeholders on the project’s outcomes and achievements over two years, followed by a graduation ceremony for Nigerian students who recently completed the vocational training programme developed under the initiative.
The project, designed to address the skills gap in green waste management in West Africa, promotes the ‘twin transitions (green and digital)’ for efficiency and climate sustainability. It was funded under the European Commission ERASMUS+ Programme for capacity-building.
Keynote speaker and head of Lagos State Mass Education Agency, Mrs. Oluwakemi Yetunde Kalesanwo, praised the project’s impact in Lagos State and expressed readiness for future collaborations. Senior special assistant on environment to the Lagos State governor, Ms. Tari Taylaur urged participants to sustain the project’s practices for a cleaner, more sustainable Lagos.
A significant milestone of the project is the accreditation of its training programme at university and vocational levels, confirmed by NABTEB southwest zonal coordinator, Dr. Adewuni Oladapo.
Project coordinator and managing director of AREA, Adriano Mauro described the initiative as groundbreaking, offering West Africa’s first technical training in green waste management. “This project creates green jobs by transforming waste into wealth for unemployed youth,” he stated.
The project’s measurable impact includes training 25 trainers and 48 students in Nigeria, with 20 internships completed, while Ghana achieved similar milestones. Elizabeth Ademola of LAWMA highlighted the project’s role in fostering an ecosystem that integrates stakeholders and technologies for sustainable waste management.
